Robot vacuums tested through our 6-month obstacle-course protocol.
The Eufy RoboVac 11S MAX is the rare cheap robot vacuum that does the basics well. After 5 months of testing, it picked up 86% of debris on hardwood, ran for a measured 102 minutes per charge, and survived a household with a shedding dog without a single mechanical failure. You give up mapping, an app, and obstacle avoidance, but at $199, that's a fair trade.
The Roomba j7+ is the robot vacuum we recommend without hesitation in 2026. After 7 months of testing in a real two-pet household, it's the only model we tried that genuinely avoided cords, socks, and pet accidents. Pickup on hardwood and low-pile carpet measured 94% of debris in a single pass, and the self-empty base went 64 days between bag swaps.
The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra is the most autonomous robot vacuum we have tested. After 6 months, it picked up 93% of debris on hardwood, mopped without rewetting carpet, and emptied, washed, and dried itself for 49 days before we touched the dock. At $1,299 it is expensive, but it is the first robot that genuinely replaces a manual vacuum for most rooms.